Sheikha Bibi urges support for traditional arts on the world stage
LONDON, May 1: Chairperson of the Kuwait Sadu Society, Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, emphasized the vital role of education and government support in promoting cultural and artistic heritage and extending it to global platforms.
Speaking during a panel discussion titled "The Role of Art in Creating Harmony Across Borders," Sheikha Bibi stressed that cultural expression transcends boundaries through a shared human language of creativity. The event, held on the opening day of the Arab Women Summit in London, also featured the participation of Professor Christoph Lindner, President of the Royal College of Art, and Athena Pears, Director of Christie's Art Foundation.
Sheikha Bibi noted that external exhibitions and cultural initiatives—supported by the State of Kuwait under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah—facilitate international cultural dialogue. These efforts are often coordinated through Kuwait's diplomatic missions and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL).
She underlined that traditional arts play a unique role in bringing people together within a shared cultural framework, creating lasting and positive effects on international relations — particularly between the United Kingdom and the Arab world.
During the discussion, Sheikha Bibi also addressed actionable steps to enhance harmony and understanding between nations through art and heritage. The panel was chaired by Professor Lindner and featured leading figures in the global art world, including representatives from Christie's, the world's oldest fine art auction house.
Sheikha Bibi's invitation to the summit reflects her significant contributions over more than a decade to preserving and promoting cultural heritage in various countries.
The Arab Women Summit, held under the theme "Arab-British Relations," continues on Thursday with an awards ceremony honoring a number of distinguished Arab women for their achievements, including Sheikha Bibi.
The summit aims to spotlight the contributions of Arab women across political, scientific, economic, artistic, media, and literary fields. It also promotes cultural dialogue between Britain and Arab nations, supports women's empowerment, and encourages knowledge exchange to enhance the global presence of Arab women.
The event features over 40 speakers from around the world, including political leaders, members of royal families, diplomats, and thought leaders. Prominent participants include the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Sofia of Sweden, and former British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Panel discussions and workshops throughout the summit focus on enhancing collaboration in education, entrepreneurship, and science.
Organized by the London Arabia Foundation and Sidra Medicine Academic Hospital and Center, the summit is held in partnership with prestigious British and Arab institutions. It is overseen by a high-level committee that includes the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps and Bahrain's Ambassador to the UK, Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, former UK Culture Minister Sir Hugh Robertson, and British MP Nusrat Ghani.
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Kuwait Times
8 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
India plane crash kills 260
Amir sends condolences • Jet smashes into doctors' hostel • One passenger survives AHMEDABAD, India: At least 260 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. The dead included people on the ground as the aircraft – headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital – smashed into a medical college hostel during lunch hour. HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Thursday sent a cable to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, offering sincere condolences and solace over the victims of the Air India crash. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah sent similar cables to Murmu. Kuwait's ministry of foreign affairs voiced sympathy and solidarity with India over the crash. In a press release, the ministry expressed sincere condolences and solace to the victims' families, the leadership, government and people of India over this painful tragedy. At least one passenger is known to have survived, police said, and the man told Indian media how he had heard a loud noise shortly after take-off. 'Approximately 260 have died. This includes some students as the plane crashed on the building where they were staying,' Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told Reuters. She said police found one survivor who was in seat 11A, next to an emergency exit, adding that there could be more survivors in hospital. 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed,' 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times, which showed a boarding pass for seat 11A in that name online. 'It all happened so quickly,' he told the paper from his hospital bed. 'When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me,' he said. 'Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.' He said that his brother, Ajay, was seated in a different row on the plane. 'He was travelling with me and I can't find him anymore. Please help me find him,' he said. Ahmedabad police chief G S Malik said the bodies recovered could include both passengers and people killed on the ground. The dead included Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat state, of which Ahmedabad is the main city. Relatives had been asked to give DNA samples to identify the dead, state health secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi told reporters. Parts of the plane's body were scattered around the smoldering building into which it crashed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters. Air India said 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. 'One half of the plane crashed into the residential building where doctors lived with their families,' said Krishna, a doctor who did not give his full name. 'The nose and front wheel landed on the canteen building where students were having lunch,' he said. Krishna said he saw 'about 15 to 20 burnt bodies', while he and his colleagues rescued around 15 students. Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said. AHMEDABAD: Firefighters work at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport on June 12, 2025. (Right) The tail of the plane is pictured at the medical college hostel it crashed into. - AFP photos Thursday's crash occurred just after the plane took off. TV channels showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge fireball could be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. 'My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed,' Poonam Patel, a relative of one of the passengers, told news agency ANI at the government hospital in Ahmedabad. Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told ANI her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. 'My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,' she said. According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 pm (0809 GMT). It gave a Mayday call, signaling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft. Boeing said it was in contact with Air India and working to gather more information. Boeing shares fell 5 percent as the crash posed a major setback for the planemaker as its new CEO looks to rebuild trust following a series of safety and production challenges. Aircraft engine-maker GE Aerospace said that it would put a team together to go to India and analyze cockpit data, India's CNBC TV18 reported. The US National Transportation Safety Board said it would lead a team of US investigators travelling to India to help in the investigation. Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said. 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. 'It is heartbreaking beyond words.' Gujarat is Modi's home state. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were 'devastating', while King Charles III said he was 'desperately shocked'. Ahmedabad Airport, which suspended all flight operations after the crash, said it was operational again but with limited flights. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate. The last fatal plane crash in India, the world's third largest aviation market and its fastest growing, was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a 'table-top' runway in southern India, skidded and plunged into a valley, crashing nose-first into the ground and killing 21 people. The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara - a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024. India has suffered other fatal air crashes, including a 1996 disaster when two jets collided mid-air over New Delhi, killing nearly 350 people. In 2010, an Air India Express jet crashed and burst into flames at Mangalore airport in southwest India, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew on board. – Agencies
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Arab Times
Miracle escape of ‘seat 11A' as British survivor walks away from Air India plane crash
GUJARAT, India, June 12: A British man has miraculously survived the Air India plane crash that occurred this morning in India, a disaster believed to have killed hundreds. Authorities reported that the survivor was sitting in seat 11A when Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff. Footage captured the man walking away from the crash site with visible injuries on his face. Additionally, police confirmed another survivor was found in a hospital struck by the plane as it crashed in a residential area. Earlier, officials had believed there were no survivors from the Gatwick-bound flight, which went down in Gujarat with 242 people on board, including 53 British nationals. The regional police chief said some local residents likely also died, as the plane hit offices and doctors' accommodations near a hospital. Rescue teams, supported by the military, have recovered 204 bodies so far from the plane and surrounding crash site. Passengers included 159 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Among those onboard were eleven children, including two newborns. Aviation experts suggest that Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, may have suddenly lost power during the critical phase of flight after takeoff. Possible causes include rapid wind changes or bird strikes causing a double engine stall. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is now investigating the wreckage and recovering the plane's black box. Videos circulating on social media show the aircraft rapidly losing altitude with its nose raised before crashing into a building and erupting in flames. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport at about 1:40 pm local time. Ahmedabad, Gujarat's main city, is densely populated and the airport is surrounded by residential neighborhoods. Residents near the crash site reported seeing bodies on the ground and people jumping from buildings to escape the flames. Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire as thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes 'devastating' and expressed sympathy for the passengers and their families. Boeing confirmed it was gathering information and said this was the first known crash involving a 787 Dreamliner. A former US Air Force pilot and aviation consultant noted that flight data indicated the plane reached takeoff speed but failed to gain altitude, suggesting engine problems, incorrect aircraft configuration, or other failures affecting climb performance. Weather conditions appeared clear and calm at the time of the accident. Flight tracking data showed the plane reached only about 625 feet before descending, far below normal altitude for a commercial flight after several minutes. Experts believe multiple bird strikes may have caused the engines to lose power. The aircraft's emergency turbine may have deployed just before the crash. Similar incidents in the past involved sudden mechanical or environmental failures shortly after takeoff, resulting in loss of control. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed the plane sent a mayday call moments before crashing. Experts highlighted how unusual it was for the crash to occur so early in the flight, given aircraft safety redundancies. Investigations will be conducted jointly by Indian authorities, with assistance expected from the US National Transportation Safety Board and the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch, especially since British nationals were onboard. Such investigations typically take years to complete. The jet crashed into the densely populated Meghani area, hitting a doctors' hostel and offices near BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital. Photos showed wreckage lodged in buildings, with dining areas partially destroyed. Local residents described chaotic scenes of people fleeing from burning buildings. Videos showed the plane descending with landing gear down before disappearing behind trees and buildings and then exploding. British Foreign Minister David Lammy expressed sadness and confirmed the UK was cooperating with Indian authorities to investigate the crash and support affected families. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash 'heartbreaking beyond words' and ordered full support for rescue operations. All agencies are coordinating efforts at the site. Air India's chairman expressed sorrow and pledged support for families and emergency responders. Gatwick Airport confirmed the flight scheduled to arrive at 6:25 pm had crashed shortly after departure. An aviation expert noted the Dreamliner is a state-of-the-art Boeing model, and the incident is a major aviation disaster. Weather was calm and clear at the time. India's aviation minister stated that all emergency agencies had been mobilized for rescue and relief. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's team was en route to the crash site. This is the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787, according to safety records. The last major fatal crash in India occurred in 2020 with Air India Express, resulting in 21 deaths. Air India was privatized in recent years, now part of the Tata Group, which has activated emergency support for families. The crash is the latest in a series of Boeing-related disasters, including fatal crashes in South Korea, Indonesia, and Ethiopia in recent years. Boeing's shares dropped 8% in premarket trading following the incident. Boeing said it is aware of the reports and is working to gather further details.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Arab Times
The tribe to the king: There is no prince among us if our camel herder is humiliated
IT is well known that true prestige is shown by standing with the weak before the strong. When families fail to support the weak, they lose their strength. The same principle applies to nations. When a powerful country imposes its will on weaker ones, it is often condemned by the rest of the nations. Israel is a clear example of this, as it continues to exercise oppressive behavior toward several Arab nations. The following lines recount a story that reflects the true meaning of prestige: An Arab king once arrested a man from a distant tribe. In response, the tribe arrived in force with its sheikhs, princes, and knights, seeking to learn the man's fate, offer a ransom, or intercede for him. The king looked at the large crowd and asked, 'Who is this man for whom you have all come to intercede?' They replied in one voice, 'He is our prince.' The king responded, 'He neither introduced himself to me nor revealed his identity.' They answered, 'He did not want to humiliate himself before you. Instead, he wanted you to see his worth through the eyes of his people.' The king immediately ordered the man's release and offered an apology. However, a few days later, he received information revealing that the freed man was nothing more than a camel herder. Surprised, the king sent a messenger to the tribe seeking an explanation. The messenger returned with the tribe's response, 'There is no prince among us, and we are worth nothing if our shepherd is humiliated.' The moral of the story is that there is no benefit in a nation that abandons supporting the weak. The imam tests the madman An imam (mosque preacher) wanted to test a madman but ended up finding him more sane and wiser than the rest of the attendees. One day, the madman approached the imam while he was chatting with some guests. The imam brought a plate of dates and asked the madman to divide them among the guests. The madman looked at him and asked, 'Should I distribute them the way people do, or the way God wants?' The imam replied, 'Distribute them the way people do.' The madman took the plate of dates and gave each guest three dates. He then placed the remaining dates in front of the imam. The imam said, 'Now, distribute the dates as God does.' The madman collected the dates and gave the first guest one date, the second a handful, the third none at all, and the fourth a lapful. The attendees laughed heartily at his behavior. Meanwhile, the madman wanted to convey that God's wisdom is present in everything, and that the most beautiful thing in life is inequality. If God distributed wealth equally among people, money would lose its value. If God created all of mankind with equal health, no one would truly appreciate its worth. Knowledge would become meaningless if it were equally shared by everyone. The purpose of life is for people to complement one another. The problem is that our limited minds cannot fully grasp the wisdom of God Almighty. Man regrets asking his wife about marriage One night, while lying in bed with his wife, a man asked, 'Do you know how many times Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him) got married and how many wives he had?' His wife looked at him firmly and said, 'Before you even think about marriage, go and fight in half the battles Imam Ali fought. Afterward, I promise I will find the best bride for you.' The husband turned his face in regret but didn't rest for long. The wife then added, 'Rather, it is better if you go and liberate Jerusalem and expel the Jews, then come back and talk to me about marriage.' The husband felt he had opened a gate to hell and brought much trouble upon himself, and muttered, 'I wish I hadn't asked her.' However, his wife wasn't finished. She turned to him again, sarcastically saying, 'Imam Ali pulled open the strongly sealed door of the Khaybar Tribe with his bare hands, while you and your son couldn't even open the bathroom door when he locked it on you.' The husband received no response, so he pulled back the blanket and coughed, muttering, 'Oh my God, what a sharp-tongued woman.' However, his wife wasn't finished yet. She adjusted her pillow and said calmly, 'Imam Ali spent his nights in the desert praying devoutly until he fainted from fear of God, but you fainted just from seeing a mouse in the kitchen.' The husband said nothing. He just closed his eyes in surrender, wishing he had never asked his wife any questions.
